This gene encodes gastric lipase, an enzyme involved in the digestion of dietary triglycerides in the gastrointestinal tract, and responsible for 30% of fat digestion processes occurring in human. It is secreted by gastric chief cells in the fundic mucosa of the stomach, and it hydrolyzes the ester bonds of triglycerides under acidic pH conditions. The gene is a member of a conserved gene family of lipases that play distinct roles in neutral lipid metabolism. Several transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Nov 2010].